Inside Buckingham Palace & See The Westminster Sights Tour

Buckingham Palace is the star here, but the clever part is the route that leads you to it. You begin near Green Park with a three-hour Westminster walking tour, then enter the palace on your own for the state rooms, gardens, and Queen Victoria’s Palace exhibition. It makes a good first look at royal London.

I like the small-group format and the practical mix of famous sights and royal interiors. Guides Will and Jason have been singled out for making the walk clear, lively, and enjoyable. The main drawback is pace: five hours of walking and standing is a lot, and there is no planned lunch break.

I also like that the tour leaves you time for photos at Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, and Parliament Square. If the Changing of the Guard matters to you, book the 10 a.m. departure on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or Sunday, and remember that the ceremony can change or be cancelled in extreme weather.

Key points to know

• The palace visit comes after the walking tour: Your guide leads you to Buckingham Palace, then you explore inside without the guide.
• The Changing of the Guard is not daily: It is scheduled for Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday departures at 10 a.m.
• You see 19 state rooms: Your ticket includes the palace, royal gardens, a multilingual audio guide, and the Queen Victoria’s Palace exhibition.
• The route covers famous Westminster landmarks: Expect Trafalgar Square, Horse Guards Parade, Downing Street, Parliament Square, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, and the London Eye.
• Bring food and comfortable shoes: There is no lunch or drink stop included, and the day involves several hours on foot.
• The price is $101 per person: That is reasonable if you want both a guided central London walk and palace admission in one booking.

Why this five-hour London tour works

This experience joins two very different sides of London. The first half is outdoors, where your guide explains the political and ceremonial center of the city. The second half is indoors at Buckingham Palace, where you move through royal rooms at your own speed with an audio guide.

That combination is useful if you have limited time in London. You do not need to arrange a Westminster walk, palace ticket, and route between them separately. You also get a small group and a live English-speaking guide rather than simply following a recorded city walk.

The format is not ideal if you want a slow morning or a long meal. The walk lasts about three hours, followed by around two hours at the palace. You should treat it as a full half-day outing, not a quick palace visit with a short introduction.

Meeting at the Ritz and starting in Green Park

The meeting point is outside The Ritz London at 150 Piccadilly. Look for two red telephone boxes and two souvenir stands beneath one of the Ritz signs. The nearest Underground station is Green Park.

From Green Park station, take the left-hand exit. You will come out by stairs and a ramp, then walk toward The Ritz. This is a useful detail because the area has several exits, and choosing the wrong one can cost you time before the group even starts.

Arrive ready to walk. The tour does not include hotel pickup or transportation back to your hotel, so you handle your own route to the meeting point and your return afterward.

Trafalgar Square and the first London landmarks

Buckingham Palace is listed first in the route, but the experience begins with the guide meeting you near Green Park and then follows the central London sights. Trafalgar Square is one of the first major stops, with about 20 minutes for guided sightseeing and photographs.

The square gives you an immediate sense of London’s public center. You can expect a short explanation of the setting and time to take pictures rather than a long museum-style talk. That works well for a first visit, especially if you want the main story without spending the whole day at one location.

You should also expect the route to favor headline sights over detailed interior visits. Westminster Abbey is seen from the outside during the walk. Abbey entry is not included, so do not expect to go inside as part of this tour.

Horse Guards Parade and Downing Street

Horse Guards Parade follows, with around 20 minutes for sightseeing and photographs. This is a ceremonial part of Whitehall, and the stop adds a military and royal note to the route before you continue toward the government district.

The walk then reaches 10 Downing Street. Your guide provides sightseeing and context, but this is not an interior visit. The familiar black door is protected and viewed from the street area, so your time here is mainly for the exterior and the explanation that comes with it.

This section is a good example of how to set expectations. You will see important places connected with British government and ceremony, but the tour does not enter every building. The value comes from having a guide connect the stops as you walk between them.

Parliament Square, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, and the London Eye

The longest outdoor stop is Parliament Square, with about 40 minutes for guided sightseeing and photos. This gives you time to see the Houses of Parliament area, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and the nearby London Eye.

Parliament Square is one of the most rewarding photo areas on the route. Several major London sights are close together, and the guide can help you understand how the political, religious, and ceremonial parts of Westminster fit around the square.

Big Ben is the famous clock tower attached to the Palace of Westminster. You see it from outside on this tour. The same is true of Westminster Abbey, which is included as a sightseeing stop rather than an interior admission.

The London Eye is also seen from the Westminster area. It is a useful reminder that this tour is built around a broad view of central London. You get a series of strong landmarks in one walk, but each one receives limited time compared with a dedicated visit.

Watching the Changing of the Guard

The Changing of the Guard is one of the tour’s biggest draws, but it requires careful planning. It takes place only on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday for the 10 a.m. tour. The schedule is managed by the British Army and can change.

Extreme weather can also cancel the ceremony. You should view it as a valuable possibility, not an absolute guarantee. If this event is your main reason for booking, choose one of the listed days and the 10 a.m. starting time, then keep your plans flexible.

A guide is especially useful during a ceremonial event because the public areas can be crowded and the timing matters. Still, this is a public ceremony, so your exact view may depend on the conditions on the day.

Entering Buckingham Palace after the walk

The palace visit is the tour’s main indoor experience. Buckingham Palace is open to visitors only from the middle of July to late September, so this outing is seasonal. Check the available dates carefully before planning your London schedule around it.

After the Westminster walk, your guide takes you to Buckingham Palace. The guide does not go inside with you. This is important: the palace portion is self-guided, supported by the included multilingual audio guide.

For some people, that arrangement is a benefit. You can move at your own speed, pause for a room that interests you, and listen without trying to stay beside a walking group. If you prefer continuous commentary from the same guide, you may find the change less satisfying.

Your ticket covers 19 state rooms. These rooms contain royal furniture and works from the Royal Collection, giving you a look at the formal rooms used for official events and royal entertaining. The palace visit is not simply a quick photo opportunity outside. You actually enter the official royal residence and spend meaningful time inside.

The royal gardens and Queen Victoria’s Palace exhibition

Access to the royal gardens is included, adding an outdoor finish to the palace visit. After the formal state rooms, the gardens give you a different view of the property and a chance to walk in a less ceremonial setting.

The Queen Victoria’s Palace exhibition is included as well. It adds historical context to the building and its royal occupants, making the palace visit more than a sequence of decorated rooms.

The two-hour palace portion should be enough for a worthwhile visit, but your attention span and pace will affect how much you take in. The palace audio guide lets you choose how closely you follow the material. If you want to listen to everything and spend time in the gardens, use the full time available.

What the $101 price includes

At $101 per person, this is not a budget sightseeing walk. The price makes more sense when you count the two main pieces: admission to Buckingham Palace and a three-hour guided walk through Westminster.

You also get the royal gardens and the Queen Victoria’s Palace exhibition, plus a small group and an English-speaking guide. For someone who already wants to visit the palace and see the central Westminster sights, putting both into one half-day booking can be good value.

The price is harder to justify if you mainly want palace entry. In that case, a palace-only visit may better suit your plans, though this tour adds the guide, route, and landmark explanations. It is also less attractive if you dislike fixed schedules or would rather stop for a relaxed lunch.

I would compare the cost with the time you have in London. If you have one day for the royal and political center, the combined format saves planning effort. If you have several days, you may prefer to separate Westminster, the palace, and your meals into different outings.

Group size, guides, and the walking pace

The small-group size is one of the more useful features. A compact group usually makes it easier to hear the guide and stay together through busy streets. It also gives the experience a more personal feel than a large coach tour.

The strongest guide feedback names Will and Jason. Both are described as entertaining and well informed, with Jason especially praised for making the walk enjoyable. Another guest highlighted Will’s ability to make time for photographs, which matters on a route packed with recognizable sights.

The tour is conducted in English. You should expect several hours of walking, standing for explanations, and stopping for photographs. Wear comfortable shoes, and bring an umbrella because London weather can shift quickly.

There is no lunch or drink included. Bring something small to eat and sip, particularly if you are traveling with children. One family-oriented criticism was the lack of a lunch break, and that is a fair concern on a five-hour route.

Who should book this experience

I would recommend this tour to a first-time London visitor who wants the main Westminster sights, a royal palace interior, and the Changing of the Guard in one organized outing.

It also suits you if you like a guide for the city walk but prefer to explore a museum or palace independently. The handoff from live guide to audio guide gives you both formats in one day.

Families can enjoy the major sights and photo stops, but parents should plan ahead for snacks and the long walking time. The absence of a scheduled meal makes the day less convenient for younger children.

You should think twice if you want to enter Westminster Abbey, spend a long time at each landmark, or have a sit-down lunch. Those are not part of the plan. The route gives you a broad introduction, not a series of extended visits.

The activity is listed as wheelchair accessible, but the route still includes substantial outdoor movement and multiple stops. If you need specific details about surfaces, seating, or palace access, confirm them before booking.

Booking details that affect your day

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund, and the reserve-now, pay-later option keeps your plans flexible. Starting times vary, so check availability before you commit to transport arrangements.

The tour does not include hotel pickup or drop-off. You need to reach The Ritz independently and make your own way back after the palace visit.

The palace season is short, running from the middle of July to late September. This is the most important booking limitation. Outside that period, this exact inside-the-palace experience is not available.

Should you book the Buckingham Palace and Westminster tour?

Book it if you want an efficient half-day introduction to London’s royal and political center, especially if Buckingham Palace is high on your list. The mix of a lively local guide, famous Westminster viewpoints, 19 palace rooms, gardens, and an audio guide gives you a lot for five hours.

Choose the 10 a.m. tour on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or Sunday if you want the best chance of seeing the Changing of the Guard. Bring water, snacks, an umbrella, and shoes you can walk in without complaint.

Skip it if you want a leisurely palace visit, a full Westminster Abbey tour, or a built-in lunch. For most first-time visitors with limited time, though, the $101 price is fair for the amount packed into one carefully planned morning and afternoon.

FAQ

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts five hours. About three hours are spent on the guided Westminster walking tour, followed by roughly two hours at Buckingham Palace.

Where is the meeting point?

Meet outside The Ritz London at 150 Piccadilly, W1J 9BR. The meeting point is beside two red telephone boxes and two souvenir stands, underneath one of the Ritz signs.

What is the nearest Underground station?

Green Park Underground station is the closest station. Take the left-hand exit, then use the stairs or ramp and walk toward The Ritz.

Is the Changing of the Guard included every day?

No. The ceremony takes place only on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday for the 10 a.m. tour. The British Army manages the schedule, and extreme weather or other changes can affect it.

Does the guide enter Buckingham Palace with the group?

No. The guide leads you to Buckingham Palace after the walking tour, but you explore inside independently with the included multilingual audio guide.

What is included with the palace ticket?

The ticket includes entry to Buckingham Palace, access to 19 state rooms, the royal gardens, and the Queen Victoria’s Palace exhibition.

Is Westminster Abbey included as an interior visit?

No. Westminster Abbey is included as a guided sightseeing stop during the walk. Entry inside the abbey is not listed as part of the experience.

Are food and drinks included?

No. Lunch and drinks are not included. You are advised to bring something to eat and drink.

Can I cancel the booking?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. A reserve-now, pay-later option is also available.